Materia | Spazio Cucina — Restaurant in Catania

I virtually never write reviews. That’s not what eating out is about for me – I prefer to let a meal speak for itself. But once in a while, a restaurant experience is so bad, so poorly handled, and so deeply off the mark that saying nothing feels wrong. Materia Spazio Cucina was exactly that. My partner and I care about food. We've worked in restaurants, travelled widely, and built our lives around great meals – from hole-in-the-wall gems to Michelin stars. We’re not “foodies,” we’re just serious about dining. And Catania, with its bold Sicilian flavours, had plenty to be excited about. Materia seemed promising: three tasting menus (meat, fish, veg), reasonably priced, and seemingly flexible. My partner doesn’t eat seafood, I don’t eat red meat. Being able to choose different menus sounded ideal. We arrived full of anticipation. That vanished quickly. The restaurant was almost empty (a red flag). We were ignored on arrival, then seated right beside the only other couple, despite the place being nearly vacant. Our waiter greeted us with no warmth – no explanation, no intro, just “still or sparkling.” We ordered: one meat, one fish tasting, both with wine pairing. He cut in coldly: “Everyone has to have the same.” No explanation. No apology. Just rigid refusal. We explained our dietary needs. He didn’t care. Told us to get the meat menu – “it’s better.” When we said that didn’t work, he shrugged and told us to order à la carte. We explained that we came for the tasting menu. He just walked away. No apology, no solution. We got up and left. Even if that rule was somehow reasonable (it isn’t), they never told us in advance. It’s not on the website. It wasn’t in the multiple booking emails. And honestly, most restaurants in 2025 – even starred ones – are happy to serve different menus to the same table. Some even let you swap dishes between menus. Why? Because that’s how good hospitality works. But the worst part wasn’t the rule – it was the attitude. Hospitality means care. At Materia, we felt like a problem. The contrast between us – a younger, queer couple with tattoos and piercings – and the older, straight couple beside us was striking. We sat next to them and could clearly see and hear the difference: they got smiles, warm conversation, full menu explanations. We got nothing. Maybe it was our age or appearance (ironically, most people in hospitality have tattoos too). Never mind that my partner works in healthcare and I’m an academic at LSE – we’re not hooligans. But that shouldn’t even matter. You don’t need a CV to deserve basic respect. And still, we couldn’t help but wonder if our queerness also played a part. We left hungry and upset. Just around the corner, we found Trattoria Antico Cortile – a humble, welcoming spot where I had one of the best pasta dishes of my life: ragù di cernia that was rich, generous, and full of soul. It cost a third of what Materia’s tasting menu would have, and the service was 100x better. I can’t speak to the food at Materia. But if the service is any reflection, I doubt we missed much. Restaurants like this – rigid, soulless, and disconnected from the basics of hospitality – don’t deserve your time or money. Skip it. Eat literally anywhere else. You’ll be better fed – and...

It was so unclear as to why this place had 5 stars but only had 11 reviews on Google. But after checking out the menu decided it was for sure worth trying for our one and only night in Catania and after spending two weeks eating our way around Sicily it was a fabulous ending to an amazing trip. After chatting with the sommelier the reason for the limited reviews is because it's only been open for non-hotel Habitat guests for a few months, additionally most tourists I guess are looking for outdoor dining with a view and the classic dishes. Lucky us, because everything that we ate reminded us of things we ate during the two weeks, but just at an elevated level and with more refinement. It wasn't over the top, but there was a moment or two when it felt like we were in the sequel to The Menu, what with the bread coming out on a slice of tree trunk, but that feeling soon passed as the relaxed staff and the beautiful, but not overly pretentious food was delivered.

Everything we ate was delicious the bubbles and the wine suggested by our friend were super tasty. I have no idea if they change the menu up, but the poached egg was fun, light and full of flavor, and my Spaghettoni with Butter & Anchovy, Favignana Tuna Bottarga and muddica atturrata of Perciasacchi wheat was one of my favorite dishes of the year. My wife had the Rigatoni ‘Aggrassati’ con ragù bianco di Pannicolo, Cipolla, Marsala e Pecorino siciliano dop grattugiat which was incredibly flavorful.

I get the sense that this place is going to be way busier over time, and I don't get how the write-up in Michelin hasn't already pumped a ton of...

Tonight, our dinner became a quiet celebration of land, craft, and memory at Materia – Spazio Cucina. A menu deeply rooted in Sicily’s soil and soul — from beef carpaccio like a fùata with grilled sardine sauce and confit tomatoes, to smoky BBQ leek with Trunzo cabbage cream and Sicilian gremolada; ravioli filled with pannicolo & Marsala ragù; and braised brisket with hazelnut, mustard, and the brightness of salmoriglio. Our finale: ‘U Turruni’ — a tender layering of chocolate, hazelnut nougat, buttermilk ice cream, marjoram, and orange crunch. All of it cradled in a space that honors preservation, seasonality, and small producers — with a special natural Etna Rosso from Azienda Agricola Sciara in hand, and the scent of citrus lingering in the air. What made it even more special was the attentiveness of the staff — gentle, present, and never intrusive. The quiet care in every detail, the ease of the setting, the simplicity and integrity of it all — it allowed the food, the story, and the moment to truly speak. ✨ Sicily, in every texture and taste. We shall return — not just for the flavors, but for the feeling: of being grounded, welcomed, and quietly transformed. Some places feed you far beyond the plate — and never...